Just Another Day
by BetherdyBabe
Summary: Rodney's got it coming when he seemingly commits one of the biggest mistakes of a married man.


I wrote this awhile ago and haven't touched it much since. Let's see if it's any good.

I'm going to make this short and say I don't own anything of previous knowledge in this chapter. Not SGA and certainly not David Spade. Oh, and Rodney's main response is akin to one found in Ghost Whisperer. Ask and I'll share the episode. Thanks for the reads, Dani.

Just Another Day

Keys clattered to the side table next to the door and the lamp sitting atop it illuminating the doorway was flipped off before heavy footsteps sounded across the kitchen floor.

Jennifer McKay waited in silence until her husband of exactly five years walked past the entryway to the living room. Her legs were crossed at the knee and her right arm extended across the back of the couch only to double back at the elbow and allow her half-fisted hand to hold up her head. Neither sign of annoyance was as noteworthy as her volatile eyes her husband used to showcase so often.

Rodney rounded the corner and caught sight of Jennifer. "Oh good, you're still up. There's something I wanted to talk to you about."

The heated expression she had displayed proudly was dropped to be replaced by a small bit of hope. Maybe he hadn't forgotten. "What would that be?"

She relaxed her position as he took a few steps and sat on the couch beside her. "Well, I know it's a bit late to be bringing this up…"

Boy was that true. It was nearly midnight already. His pause continued so she pushed him to go on with a happy grin lightening her features. "Yeah?"

"I wanted to, uh, want to that is, ask if you would come with me to another science talk out in Las Vegas this weekend," he finally asked but didn't wait for an answer before steam rolling through the rest. "I know you hated the one last year around this time but the weather is supposed to be cooler. But it's a dry heat anyway. It won't be that bad, I promise. And I hear David Spade is supposed to be out there, you like his sense of humor, right? We could…"

Throughout his speech, her grin faded and she stopped listening as his rambling continued. The suppressed sadness that he could possibly forget their anniversary – again – was masked by the smallest amount of anger because he did it every year without fail. Well this year she would say something. She was done reminding him of the date when it was already past and her hopes were dashed.

Her eyes met his, the anger concealed but just barely. His still looked hopeful. In a way it was cute, but she was too annoyed to dwell on it. It was time to tell him off.

"Yeah, I'll go."

A kiss landed on her cheek and she barely pressed one back to his. "Thanks, sweetheart," his sugary response. Seeing the matter as settled, he stood up and made to leave for further into the house.

"What is it about today, Rodney?" Her voice was aimed towards his back and ripe with what could be classified as hurt.

Without pause, he simplified her question. "Why is it I forget about our anniversary every year?"

"If you know it's our anniversary, why not at least say as much?" Tears built like rampant electricity behind her eyes, empowering themselves for the steep fall down the cheeks just below.

Having lost their previous hopeful look, his eyes turned to lock onto hers. The stride he took to make it back to the couch brought him just close enough to lean down onto his knees and gently request her hands settle between his.

Jennifer didn't want to listen to anything he had to say, redeeming or not, yet her hands slid into his comfortably and she paused in her breathing when he opened his mouth in response.

"It's just one day."

Another blow scraped her hope, grazing it as the glaciers had scoured the fjords into her home state. The tears finally broke free and ran unchecked down her cheeks and jaw line. It was true many people didn't believe in celebrating happy moments in their lifetime, she was just naive enough to have believed she found someone she thought would care to remember their promises of everlasting love.

"It's just one day," Rodney repeated. He brought her hand to his lips and placed a single kiss upon her knuckle before releasing them both to wipe at her tears. "What's one day compared to every day of being married to you?"

For a moment, speech evaded her and a single thought ran through her head telling her she was childish for getting upset and crying. A second thought snuck past the slowed time barrier their locked eyes created and reminded her by replaying the words just how sweet they had been.

As time came crashing back, a chuckle of a gasp fled out in relief and delight with the turn of events. She attempted a smile and it stayed for a fraction of a second before faltering and acting on the impulse allowed to grow over the last six or so years from being in a relationship with this man.

He was still confidently holding her gaze and allowing a rare, genuine smile to cross his face. That, too, fell into a more ingrained position as she touched her lips to his.

Though only minutes separated them from midnight, it felt like the entire night was theirs to be had. And have it, they would.


End file.
